Government Affairs Roundup
“Your Timely Roundup of Local, State, and Federal Updates”
Chamber members:
I’m skipping any attempt at an April Fools’ Day joke today.
Spring break is here for the Illinois General Assembly. The House will be off until April 7 while the Senate gets an extra week off, resuming April 14. When they return, we should start seeing floor votes ahead of an April 17 deadline. Many bills still need more work before getting a full vote, however.
As we keep an eye on the progress of those bills, we’re also watching other things happening in and around the state. See below for more information on state items as well as an update on the federal level.
*Government Affairs Roundup brought to you by CITGO*
Illinois lawmakers advance wide range of bills ahead of committee deadline
Illinois House committees advanced major pieces of Governor JB Pritzker’s agenda last week ahead of a key deadline, though many proposals are expected to be amended as negotiations continue.
Lawmakers moved quickly to meet the Friday deadline to pass bills out of committee, often advancing incomplete measures with plans to revise them later.
Social media regulations
The Children’s Social Media Safety Act (HB 5511) would require age verification, restrict nighttime notifications for minors, strengthen privacy protections, and expand parental controls. It passed committee 13-7 along party lines and is expected to change before a full House vote.
School cellphones ban
A revised bill (SB 2427) would require school districts to ban student cellphone use during the school day starting in 2027-28, with some flexibility for high schoolers and exceptions for medical or educational needs. The measure passed unanimously and reflects a growing bipartisan trend nationwide.
Community college bachelor’s degrees
Lawmakers unanimously advanced HB 5319, allowing community colleges to offer four-year degrees in high-demand fields if they meet workforce needs and avoid duplicating university programs. The proposal includes cost caps and collaboration requirements after prior opposition from universities stalled the idea.
Ride-share unionization
HB 4743 would allow ride-share drivers to unionize, requiring 10% participation to initiate and 30% to negotiate. It also proposes a 20-cent per ride fee, drawing opposition over potential conflicts of interest and cost impacts. The bill continues to face stakeholder negotiations.
Tipped minimum wage preemption
HB 4623 would eliminate Chicago’s ability to phase out the tipped minimum wage, establishing statewide uniformity. Supporters cite business stability; opponents argue it undermines local control and worker pay. The bill passed committee 22-4.
Ban on junk fees
HB 228 would require businesses to disclose full prices upfront, banning hidden fees. Lawmakers say it would improve transparency for consumers.
Nonprofit investment fund
Revised legislation would allow the state treasurer to create an investment pool for nonprofits, with stricter eligibility rules after Pritzker vetoed a broader version last year.
Unemployment for school workers
HB 4416 would allow school support staff to collect unemployment over the summer if they cannot find work. Supporters call it a fairness issue; critics cite potential costs under $200 million annually.
Jury duty pay requirement
HB 4844 would require employers to pay workers their regular wages during jury service. It passed despite concerns about the burden on businesses.
Utility rate hearing reforms
HB 4514 would expand public input in utility rate cases, allowing longer testimony and written comments.
Plug-in solar expansion
A Senate measure would allow renters to install small plug-in solar systems in homes, increasing access to renewable energy.
Workplace temperature protections
HB 3762 would require Illinois to establish workplace heat and cold safety standards by 2027, including rest breaks, protective gear, and schedule adjustments. The bill is expected to be revised after further stakeholder input.
Republican pro-business package
Senate Republicans introduced a four-bill package including tax credits for long-standing businesses, eliminating taxes on tips, increasing retailer discounts, and allowing small business employees to deduct insurance premiums.
Bears stadium/megaproject bill stalls
Legislation (HB 910) to freeze property tax assessments for large developments like a potential Chicago Bears stadium failed to advance. Lawmakers continue negotiating amid concerns about valuation and broader economic impacts.
Energy Choice and Economic Impact Commission Proposal
A proposal to create a new statewide energy commission is reigniting debate in Springfield over how Illinois should balance economic concerns with its clean energy commitments.
The measure, House Bill 5195, would establish the Illinois Future of Energy Choice and Economic Impact Commission — a panel tasked with studying the economic and policy impacts of the state’s energy decisions. The House Energy and Environment Committee advanced the bill unanimously last Thursday, though sponsor State Rep. Larry Walsh Jr., D-Elwood, said he plans to continue negotiations before moving it forward.
Walsh said the idea stems from growing concern among businesses about the state’s energy future. “There’s a feeling out there that we’re heading into an insecure time when it comes to energy needs,” he told lawmakers, emphasizing the need for a forum to evaluate long-term impacts.
Business groups backed the proposal, arguing it would give stakeholders a seat at the table. Ramiro Hernandez of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce said companies are increasingly factoring energy policy into investment decisions. “This commission will help bring a strong focus to the economic impact of energy policy decisions,” he said.
But environmental advocates warned the commission could undermine the state’s climate framework, particularly the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), which sets timelines for phasing out coal and natural gas plants. Illinois Environmental Council CEO Jen Walling said revisiting those deadlines would create uncertainty and slow clean energy progress. “These timelines are not arbitrary — they’re the backbone of our commitment to decarbonization,” she said.
Republicans and some lawmakers, however, argued the state is already struggling to meet those targets. State Rep. Regan Deering, R-Decatur, called CEJA’s goals “too aggressive,” noting that fossil fuel plants are scaling back investment as closure deadlines approach. She said rising energy costs are a frequent concern among constituents and expressed support for repealing the law.
Other Democrats pushed back on any shift toward extending fossil fuel use. State Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock, D-Villa Park, said environmental voices must be included in any such effort. “This is the only planet we’ve got,” she said, cautioning against policies that could encourage continued reliance on coal.
Walsh emphasized the commission would be advisory only, with unpaid members meeting quarterly to make recommendations to the governor and General Assembly. Despite ongoing concerns, lawmakers advanced the bill 27-0, reflecting a broader trend of moving proposals forward while negotiations continue.
Pritzker, Mendoza Split on Federal School Tax Credit Program
A disagreement between Governor JB Pritzker and Comptroller Susana Mendoza is highlighting a divide over whether Illinois should opt into a new federal tax credit program that funds K-12 scholarships.
The program, signed into law by President Donald Trump, would allow taxpayers to receive credits of up to $1,700 for donations to scholarship organizations that help cover tuition, tutoring and other school expenses for public and private school students. It is set to take effect in 2027, and 27 states have already opted in.
Pritzker has not yet made a decision, citing concerns about how the program will be implemented and whether safeguards will prevent funds from going to schools promoting discriminatory or extremist views. In a private message to Mendoza, he warned that taxpayer-supported dollars could potentially flow to institutions teaching “racist or antisemitic or anti-American” ideologies.
He has also raised broader concerns about whether the program would primarily benefit private schools over public schools and said he is waiting for federal regulations before committing Illinois to participate.
Mendoza, while acknowledging those concerns, supports opting in. She argues Illinois should not forgo federal tax benefits that could help students, particularly if other states are already taking advantage of the program.
Her position centers on keeping federal dollars in Illinois. She said the funding could help cover basic education needs such as tutoring, books and fees, and emphasized that safeguards should be put in place to prevent misuse.
The federal government has not yet released full implementation rules, though guidance is expected later this year.
The debate echoes past divisions in Illinois over school choice programs. A similar state tax credit scholarship program expired in 2023 after lawmakers disagreed over its impact on public school funding.
New legislation has already been introduced in Illinois on both sides of the issue—one bill would opt the state into the federal program, while another would prohibit participation—leaving the state’s next steps unresolved.
Governor Pritzker Convenes Roundtable on BUILD Initiative to Lower Housing Costs
Governor Pritzker convened local officials, community members, and construction and business representatives in McLean County to discuss building more housing to lower costs. During the roundtable, the Governor heard from local leaders and discussed how his Building Up Illinois Developments (BUILD) proposal can help make renting and owning homes more affordable.
“For too long, a patchwork of local restrictions has made it too difficult and expensive to build and buy housing. Illinois working families deserve better, and through BUILD, we’re fighting for the most significant housing affordability package in decades,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Homeownership – a cornerstone of the American dream – is too far out of reach, and rent is too damn high. We’re coming together to cut through red tape, build more homes, and make Illinois the best state to live, work, and raise a family.”
The Governor’s BUILD proposal will cut through red tape and make it easier for developers to build, creating a new down payment assistant program for first-time homebuyers and building on existing programs; investing capital funding to build housing and for infrastructure improvements; and more. The comprehensive proposal seeks to address the demand for more housing and make housing more affordable for working families.
“Illinois is making a significant commitment to housing affordability at a time when families and entire communities are coping with rising housing costs, limited inventory, and barriers that discourage the construction of new homes and apartments,” said IHDA Executive Director Kristin Faust. “The BUILD agenda is a much-needed step forward in addressing this crisis, giving agencies like IHDA the tools we need to support new affordable and middle-income rental housing while making homeownership possible for first-time homebuyers looking to put down roots in communities across our state.”
Working families across the country and in Illinois are struggling to buy or rent a home because the U.S. is facing a housing shortage. Illinois is short about 142,000 housing units and will need to build over 225,000 units in five years to keep up with growing demand. With few housing options to choose from, Illinoisans are spending more of their income on housing. BUILD expands housing for working families by accelerating homebuilding through legislative reform, targeted capital investment, and innovative financial tools for working families.
“”We know that securing affordable housing is a challenge for many people across the country right now,” said DCEO Director Kristin Richards. “Investing in strategic initiatives that reduce development barriers, while simultaneously working to close financial gaps, is critical to expanding access to affordable homes for Illinois’ working families. These efforts not only strengthen our workforce, local economies, and our communities, but they will attract investment – ensuring Illinois remains the best place to live, work, and do business.”
“Illinois REALTORS continues to proudly support the Governor’s BUILD Plan to address the state’s housing supply crisis,” said Illinois REALTORS CEO Jeff Baker. “Roundtables like this one are critical to hearing directly from those that see and experience the supply crisis firsthand. We are mobilizing thousands of real estate professionals statewide to engage in conversations like these in their communities, especially with their local elected officials to impress upon them the importance of this legislation.”
During the roundtable, participants discussed the importance of keeping pace with workforce housing needs. The conversation emphasized how BUILD can help close the gap currently preventing the market from building more affordable housing.
Legislative Package to Expand Housing Supply
Illinois is advancing legislation to accelerate homebuilding by removing red tape and creating clear, predictable rules across jurisdictions:
- Illinois Housing Choice and Middle Housing Act: HB 5626 (Buckner) / SB 4060 (Hunter)
- Accessory Dwelling Unit Authorization: HB 5626 (Buckner) / SB 4071 (Martwick)
- Single Stair Building Reform: HB 5626 (Buckner) / SB 4061 (Feigenholtz)
- Residential Parking Reform: HB 5626 (Buckner) / SB 4064 (Cervantes)
- Housing Permit Acceleration and Fair Review Act: HB 5626 (Buckner) / SB 4063 (Ellman)
- Impact Mitigation Fee Modernization Act: HB 5626 (Buckner) / SB 4062 (Castro)
Capital Investment Package
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) will administer $100 million to remove upfront infrastructure barriers that prevent otherwise viable housing projects from breaking ground.
This investment will:
- Fund water, sewer, stormwater, and site access improvements
- Target infill, redevelopment, and constrained sites with existing demand
- Unlock approximately 100 sites and enable 2,000-4,000 new homes statewide
The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) will administer $150 million to support building more starter homes and rental housing for families, as well as support additional down payment assistance programs to unlock opportunities for those historically experiencing barriers. The proposed funding from BUILD will help IDHA continue in their efforts of making homeownership a reality for first time homebuyers.
President Trump Orders Pay for TSA Workers Amid Prolonged DHS Shutdown
President Trump announced Thursday he will begin paying Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers through an emergency executive order, offering relief to thousands of employees who have gone without pay during a partial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown now stretching beyond 40 days.
The move aims to ease growing disruptions at airports, where long security lines and staffing concerns have intensified pressure on lawmakers to resolve the funding impasse. Administration officials said TSA pay will be covered using previously allocated DHS funds, though details remain limited.
While the order addresses one of the most visible impacts of the shutdown, it does not resolve the broader funding lapse affecting other DHS agencies, including FEMA, the Coast Guard and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
The decision could also reduce urgency for a broader deal in Congress, where negotiations over DHS funding and immigration policy have stalled for weeks. Lawmakers had been working toward a last-minute agreement, but progress remained uncertain as a scheduled recess approached.
Senate leaders said talks are ongoing, with Republicans calling their latest proposal a final offer and Democrats pushing for changes to immigration enforcement policies. Multiple votes on competing funding bills have failed, leaving the department partially unfunded.
Trump said the order is intended to address an “emergency situation” at airports, but lawmakers from both parties indicated it is only a temporary fix as negotiations continue.
Senate Passes Bill to Fund Majority of Homeland Security Department
The Senate broke a logjam in the wee hours of Friday morning to pass a funding bill by voice vote that would effectively end a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.
After a late night of negotiations, the Senate agreed to a modified version of a bill that would fund all of the departments with the exception of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and most of Customs and Border Protection — the two agencies that have been at the center of a partisan standoff over immigration enforcement practices.
“It’s not the way to fund the department,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said after the vote. “But we are out of time for the critical responsibilities and tens of thousands of workers currently going without pay.”
Thune said Democrats won none of the policy changes they had sought to immigration enforcement practices that had triggered the partial shutdown more than 40 days ago. He suggested Republicans were likely to seek funding for ICE and CBP through a filibuster-proof reconciliation bill in coming months.
Democrats had said for weeks they were willing to fund almost all of the department except for the immigration agencies as they continued to fight for more restrictions on federal agents in the wake of the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis earlier this year.
“This could have been accomplished weeks ago if Republicans hadn’t stood in the way,” said Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y. “Democrats held firm in our opposition that Donald Trump’s rogue and deadly militia should not get more funding without serious reforms, and we will continue to fight for those reforms.”
The bill now heads to the House, which could take it up as early as Friday. It wasn’t yet clear whether it would encounter strong opposition in that chamber.
The final push toward a deal also came hours after President Donald Trump intervened with plans to issue an executive order to begin paying Transportation Security Administration workers during the partial shutdown.
Defying Senate, House GOP Passes DHS Funding
The Department of Homeland Security shutdown will continue after House Republicans snubbed the Senate’s funding deal and passed their own funding stopgap instead.
Rather than approve a dead-of-night compromise that Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., made with Senate Democrats right before the upper chamber left town, House leadership pushed a 60-day Continuing Resolution through the Rules committee and onto the House floor.
“The Senate’s bill was unconscionable. In the dead of night, they defunded Border Patrol and ICE — including the division that fights child sex trafficking — giving Democrats everything they wanted. That weak, pathetic surrender is unacceptable,” Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, posted on X after the House vote Friday night. “Senators need to get back to Washington immediately, do their jobs, and pass this bill.”
Senators, however, have already left for a two-week recess, which the House was also supposed to take. House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., called the House’s decision “crazy.”
“House Republicans had the easiest possible path to put people first: vote for a bill that every Senate Republican voted for this morning,” Clark stated on the floor. “All they had to do was get out of the way – and they couldn’t bring themselves to do it.”
Three House Democrats voted with Republicans to pass the CR, showcasing just how fatigued lawmakers are with yet another record-long shutdown.
The current Homeland Security shutdown began Feb. 13 after Senate Democrats blocked a funding bill, demanding new limits and reforms on immigration enforcement agencies like ICE and CBP. After weeks of failed negotiations, Senate Republicans proposed a workaround: remove ICE and CBP funding—and related policy fights—from the bill entirely. Democrats agreed, and the revised measure passed the Senate. The plan was for Congress to fund the rest of DHS through this bill, then use a separate budget process to fund ICE and CBP without the disputed policy changes.
Meanwhile, some DHS agencies, including FEMA and TSA, have been hit hardest by the shutdown, with workers going unpaid and staffing strained. ICE and CBP have continued operating using funds from a prior budget law.
President Trump also signed an order directing the government to pay TSA workers using available funds to ease airport disruptions. However, House Republicans rejected the Senate plan, making a quick resolution unlikely and putting the shutdown on track to become the longest in U.S. history.
Will County Kicks Off “Guide Will” Planning Effort
Will County has launched an update to its Land Resources Management Plan, the guiding policy document that has shaped County land use and development since 2002. The “Guide Will” Planning Effort will establish a clear vision and policy framework to guide decisions and achieve County goals over the next 10–15 years.
The plan update will guide key decisions related to the quality of life of residents and future growth, including housing and development; economy and employment; agriculture and rural character; open space and environment; transportation and infrastructure; and regional coordination. The first public engagement phase will be conducted through the Spring, which will guide a draft updated plan that will be presented for further public input.
Public input will guide policy updates and future land use recommendations. Visit guidewill.co to subscribe, take the survey, or place your ideas on the interactive online map. Four open houses will also be hosted throughout Will County in Spring.
Stay well,
Mike Paone
Executive Vice President
Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry
mpaone@jolietchamber.com
815.727.5371 main
815.727.5373 direct